


Singsong Gods

by Cosinalaxia



Category: Original Work
Genre: Brother-Sister Relationships, Brothers, Family, God of Death, God of beauty, Inspired by Hades and Persephone (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), M/M, Multi, Original Mythology, Past Rape/Non-con, Romance, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:00:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 17,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26062324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cosinalaxia/pseuds/Cosinalaxia
Summary: Born from an affair of a mighty god and a beauty goddess, Aris was youthful, gorgeous and most importantly, powerful. Sheltered from a life of blood and violence, Aris was well taken care of, under the watchful eye of the Champions, but cage a bird for too long and it will be flooded with curiosity./ or, Hades and Persephone inspired Original mythology with a few changes. /
Relationships: Original Character(s)/Original Character(s), Original Female Character/Original Male Character, Original Male Character/Original Male Character
Kudos: 13





	1. Prologue: “ Got a figure like a pin-up, got a figure like a doll / Don't care if you think I'm dumb, I don't care at all. “

**Author's Note:**

> Before word: This story is based on the story of Persephone and Hades, with a few changes. This is not a Greek mythology story, this is an original mythology story that plays on the fertility god-death god romance.  
> DISCLAIMER: This story contains mentions of sexual assault, scenes of foul language, violence, and mentions of war and battle. 
> 
> hii! i got this idea mainly while reading a lot of retelling of myths. it may not be the best, but i really want to share this!!!  
> please read the disclaimer. if swears, violence, war, battle, blood, and mentions of rape trigger you in any way please don't force yourself to read this!! i will put a warning where this topics are shown or discussed even in the slightest manner.

_**THERE ARE MENTIONS OF WAR, BLOOD, AND PAST SEXUAL ASSAULT. IT'S NOT GRAPHIC.**_  
  
  
  
Aris was always the most obedient out of his siblings. If his mother said stay, he stayed. If she said sit, he sat. If she ordered silence, he would go as far as stitching his mouth shut.

He was also the youngest in his small family, only about 600 years old, but he never ventured in the human world. He was chained if not physically, then at least mentally, by his mother. _Don’t go Aris,_ she used to cry, _They will stripe you of everything, my son._

Safe to say, Aris grew up with a fear of the outside of his mother’s realm. 

He was youthful, gorgeous, with skin not too fair but not too dark either, a result of basking in the sun for hours on end. He had light freckles similar to constellations on his nose and shoulders, eyes the color of the fertile soil beneath him mixed with the green grass, and a mess of caramel curls sat on his head, cut short to the nape. 

When he was born, his mother declared his area of expertise. He was Aris, the god of youthful beauty, love, and fertility. 

“ Aris. “ The young god raised his head from admiring his mother’s hydrangeas to peer at the warrior that walked close to him.

_Hedar._ Aris noted in his head. _God of war, battle and violence._

The war god was certainly tall and muscular, putting even the mightiest soldiers and wrestlers to shame, with black hair that fell like the ink used to write declaration of wars over his shoulders, framing a scarred face with piercing blood-red eyes. 

He was decked in the national gold and burgundy armor with leather sandals, with a golden helmet cradled in his left arm. If it wasn’t for the fact he was covered in blood, Aris would immediately hug him. 

“ Hedar. “ Aris greeted him, a small smile on his lips. Hedar stepped closer and in a swift motion, sat down.

“ Is it done? “ Aris questioned, humming as he traced the blue petals of the flowers. 

Hedar nodded. “ Patarg retreated his forces and our men ended up victorious. They are currently hosting a ceremony in my honor as their patron god. “

Aris gasped. “ Then why aren’t you with them? “ 

The war god let a smile grace his bloody face. “ I couldn’t possibly wait to see my little brother. “ 

In the flash of light, the blink of an eye, Hedar leapt from his seat and engulfed Aris in a tight hug, in the process dirtying the boy’s pure white robes. 

Aris laughed so loudly and so enchantingly, even the flowers seemed to move their colorful petals in his direction. His laugh was like a bird’s morning song.

Hedar stepped back and admired the mess he made of Aris’ garments. 

“ You foul. “ Aris glared, ending up looking like a small kitten. “ You dirtied my robes. Go bathe, Hedar. “ 

The war god inclined his head, stood up and with a wave of his hand, disappeared in a cloud of black smoke. 

Aris raised his body, dusted his robes off, and ran quickly to the white marble temple of his mother. He hoped he could clean himself before she saw him.

“ Aris? What are you doing, my love? “

Aris stopped frozen in his tracks, and whipped his head around to see his mother standing there in all her glory. 

She was a medium-height woman, with sun-kissed skin that glistened in the sunlight, clear blue eyes like the ocean. Her locks were long and thick, the color of honey, and they fell over her shoulders reaching her hips barely. Her robes were pink, like her lips and cheeks.

_Phona. Goddess of beauty and vegetation._

“ Mother. “ Aris felt his face pale. Upon seeing his being, Phona gasped and rushed to her son’s side.

“ What happened to you?! Why are you covered in blood?! My son, what happened?! “ Her frantic worrying warmed Aris’ heart but also troubled him. Despite being a bit shorter than her, he reached his hands to grasp her own.

“ Nothing happened, mother. Hedar came by and he was still fresh from the battle. “ He explained, watching those blue eyes of Phona turn from clear blue skies to stormy seas.

“ Hedar came by, huh? “ The venom in her tone was so evident, even snakes with poisonous fangs slithered away from her. Phona reached her hand and grabbed Aris’ cheeks.

“ What did I tell you? I don’t want that, that - that.. brute! That brute anywhere near you! I told him not to see you again! And what does he do? Visit you?! Don’t make me laugh. “ She narrowed her eyes. “ Next time, tell him to leave and never come back! Or better yet, I will do it! “

“ Mother! “ Aris interrupted her, reaching to pry her fingers away. “ Stop it, please! “ 

Aris was no fool. He knew how he was conceived. The mighty god Criarus, the god of the Earth, kings, empires and order, widely considered one of the most powerful gods in existence, had fallen in love with Phona. She had rejected his advances numerous times, until he had enough and wrestled her to the ground taking her virginity and leaving tears and bruises, conceiving Aris.

Phona was left traumatized by the violation, built her own realm and raised Aris there. She wanted to isolate her son from the rest of the gods, but she was only a minor goddess.

It felt wrong, but Phona loathed all of Criarus’ offspring with a burning passion, adding Hedar to the list. 

Phona let her hands fall to her side, before she embraced Aris in a small hug.

“ I apologize, my son. Forgive me, Aris. “ Her tone had gone from vinegar to honey so quickly, in an attempt to sugar her son. Aris blinked, still seemingly in a trance as he rubbed his mother’s back.

“ It’s alright, mother. “ 


	2. Chapter 1: “ Keep imagining meeting, wished away entire lifetimes / Unfair we're not somewhere misbehaving for days “

They say if you keep a bird caged for too long, it will be flooded with curiosity. 

And that case was particularly true for Aris. 

Truth be told, he had never ventured farther than the gates of his mother’s gardens, too afraid of the strange land that supposedly stretched for miles according to Hedar. 

Phona was currently paying a visit to her sisters, the goddesses of beauty and fertility, each of them presiding over a specific region of their universe, but Aris had never seen their homes, and they didn’t visit that much.

“ Weni. “ 

A man, with skin like clear water, tousled hair and white robes came rushing forward, his head bowed down in respect.

“ My God. “ Weni greeted respectfully, raising his clear blue eyes to meet Aris’ hazel ones.

“ I’m gonna leave. “

Weni’s eyes grew wide at the declaration of his master, mouth hanging open.

“ My God! You can’t possibly do that, your mother - “

“ Don’t tell her, please. I want to leave, Weni. I want to see so many things. “ Aris pleaded, his hands clasped in front of him. 

Weni had no other choice. His master’s words were his law. And was he a dutiful citizen. 

Weni bowed his head, retreating back into the temple, his expression grim and worried. He knew if Phona discovered her precious and only child was gone, she would go mad. She would gut all her servants, offer them like pig on silver platters to whatever beast of the underworld wanted them.

And worst of all: Criarus would wreak havoc throughout all the realms, destroy forests, bring droughts, wage wars, all until Aris would be back basking in the sun and picking irises to put in his hair. 

But Aris was a desperate and stubborn young deity who had one goal in his mind: go outside. No matter what it took.

Aris stood up from the hydrangeas, dusted off his pure white robes, fixed his mess of curls and set one foot away from the patches of rainbows.

_ I can do it.  _ Aris thought.  _ And even if I can’t, I have to. _

Repeating this in his mind far more times than he had fingers to count, Aris found himself at the golden gates of Phona’s realm. He needed to be close in order to leave. How did Hedar and his mother did it? 

Closing his eyes and scrunching his nose, Aris concentrated deeply on the outside. The grass, the sky, the stones, the singsong birds that announce the birth of the world, the frogs that croak deep at night, the wolves that howl their love for the moon deities, the foxes that hide in the shadows of their deceit, the water the spirits bathe in, the people working day and night for their lives - 

And he waved his hand. 

It didn’t take hours or minutes, it took about 2 blinks and Aris was no longer in the comfort of the world he saw for six centuries. Not at all, there was no green grass, flowers, no white temple, no blue sky.

Aris was standing wobbly in the middle of dark columns and marble decorated with pure gold and silver, the floor sleek and shiny.

This wasn’t the outside he hoped he would see, but it wasn’t his mother’s beautiful temple, so he considered it a small victory. Yet, what was this enchanting place? 

Aris brushed a stray lock behind his ear, and contemplated moving or standing still, waiting for someone to hopefully acknowledge his presence.

“ Who are you?! “ Aris’ heart nearly made a run for it from his chest, as he whipped his head around to look in the direction of a voice.

An extremely enraged woman stomped towards him, her hair coiled neatly into a low bun, dress the color of rubies, and sandals made of pure leather.

As she was a few steps away from him, the woman dug her manicured hand and grabbed Aris’ own hand, harshly, nearly digging her red nails into his flesh.

Aris winced, but refused to cry.

“ I asked a question! “ She hissed, her fangs bared and dripping with the venom of a hundred snakes. Aris was terrified. The only people he had seen were his aunts, Hedar, his mother, and of course Phona’s servants. 

“ I -, I, I - “ Aris stammered, the woman narrowing her red eyes, as the young god prayed for a miracle deep in his mind.

The woman dug her nails into his tan flesh as a soft cry flew past Aris’ lips like a morning dove his aunts adored to the very last feather.

As if there was someone listening and waiting for the ideal moment to strike, heavy footsteps rang throughout the temple, a sickening dark aura making the woman freeze. An aura that could topple empires. 

Aris turned with tearful eyes to the vague direction of the footsteps and had to hold himself from screeching. 

The stranger that came towards them was impossibly tall, maybe taller than Hedar, with skin the color of doves. His eyes were the color of an endless night sky, slowly but surely fading into the purple and orange of the beautiful evening sun. His hair made Aris reconsider just how dark the night sky actually was. His robes were similar to Aris’, but hanging on one side, exposing his pectoral. 

He walked with such confidence and stride, his head held high and a glare that put the angry woman to utter shame. 

“ Utala, what are you doing? “ The strange man asked, his voice deep and rough like metal being forged, almost drawing Aris to his knees. 

Utala swallowed bile, her eyes softening. “ My God. I caught a stray young one in your temple. “

The supposed god raised an eyebrow. “ And you harm young ones? “

Utala had no words, but she did unhand Aris, letting her hands fall at her sides. 

“ My God - “

“ Enough. “ The god raised a hand, effectively silencing her. “ Enough, Utala. This is not how we treat guests. Know what. Go to the south side of the temple and help your sisters with the tapestry. I will talk with our young one over here. “ 

Utala bowed her head in shame and walked with her head hung low along the steps. 

Aris did not move. He was frozen like the ponds in late winter in his realm. He was too afraid to even blink back his tears as they threatened to fall on his rosy cheeks. 

The God walked, still with the same confidence and aura, Aris had to hold himself from not kneeling.

“ I’m terribly sorry for how my servant has treated you, my guest. I assure you, not everyone is like her. “ There were a lot of tones Aris expected, but soft and reassuring somehow was not one of them. “ Now, what is your name? “

Aris swallowed a lump that had formed in his throat, regaining his thoughts. This was not a god he knew, yet how many gods did he knew? 6? Give or take.

“ U-uhm, “ Aris stammered and almost kicked himself for that. “ My name is Aris. I am the god of youthful beauty, love, and fertility. “

The other man stared at him for a few seconds, then a glimmer of recognition shone in his multicolored eyes, but it was as fleeting as summer love. 

“ Must I say, it is a great pleasure to have a fertility  _ and _ beauty god in my humble temple. You will have to forgive me if it’s messy. I wasn’t expecting such a guest in my realm. “

Aris felt his cheeks redden, like a ripe red apple that his mother used to bring every summer, and his eyes dry from the former tears of pain and fear. 

“ I - There’s no need for all of - “ Aris cleared his throat, “ that. I am a mere minor god. “

The other god laughed in that low voice of his that Aris was sure could ruin kingdoms. “ A mere minor god? Aris, why, you are a fertility, beauty, and love god. Think about it, for a second, would you. “

Aris nodded, waiting for the explanation.

“ Fertility is by far the most important element of our world. It’s not always in sentient beings, but where would our world be without plants and animals? It would be in ruins. We would have no food, no companions. Beauty? Beauty is not just external beauty. To me, beauty is kindness. Beauty is compassion. And love? “

He stared off in the distance for a second, before turning back to Aris. “ Love is the strongest force in the universe, and damn anyone that tells you otherwise. “

Aris felt his cheeks redden by the second and his smile grow by the word. He had not expected something like this. Not even his aunts complimented him like this.  _ Another fertility god? Ugh.  _ The world had enough of them.

The man cleared his throat. “ Do you wish to stay? “ 

Aris nodded eagerly. He may have lived for hundreds of years, but he had the curiosity of a small child. He wanted to stay. Anywhere would have been better than still staying with his mother.

He waved his hand and two servants rushed forward, heads down in respect. 

It was mostly peculiar. The servants of Phona were lively, cheerful, and always enjoyed nice chats with their mistress’ son. These servants were quiet and reserved, their heads always down, their hands clasped and their eyes never meeting their master’s.

“ I, wait! “ Aris spoke, earning a quick ‘hmm’ from the other man. “ I never did catch your name, good stranger. “

The man’s eyes widened and a lock of momentary shock traveled on his face, before his features once again softened, and his mouth opened.

“ My name is Idan. “

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the first meeting of our future lovers. idan's identity and a lot of other things about this pantheon will be explained next chapter.   
> it means a lot to me if you read, leave kudos, and maybe?? write?? a comment?? only if you want :))


	3. Chapter 2: " When I look out my window / Many sights to see "

_ My name is Idan. _

_ My name is Idan. _

_ My name is Idan. _

_ Idan.  _

Aris laid in the room Idan’s servants, who he learned were called Uros and Etuno, guided him to. The soft oak bed had sheets of pure innocent white and Aris wondered if it was intentional, for the temple looked far too dark and depressing to have white sheets.

Idan’s name rang through his head, flew all around like a hummingbird, as he could only look out of the window in shock.

Aris may be considered a young god in the eyes of his pantheon, but he was not stupid. He learned from a young age who the most powerful deities were, as it was proper.

He knew the important gods, the champions, as they were called. Yone, Nyrasil, Mesyn, Ulena, Criarus, all among others. He knew of the minor gods, his aunts, his mother, Gregana, Phectis.

If you asked him, he could tell you what their expertise were, where they ruled, how many lovers and children they sired or birthed. But he also knew of the more powerful gods.

And Idan numbered himself in them. He knew Idan as the god of darkness, the king of the dead, a benevolent death god, a ruler of the unknown. Some said he was even more powerful than Criarus. 

After all, Idan was born from Kadea, one of the first beings in the universe. She represented the night sky, the unseen, the darkness, the unknown, the cosmos, the stars, the moon, all of those things and more. 

When she withered away, Idan became her supposed heir, gaining most if not all of her power and glory. He had destroyed empires that considered themselves immortal, brought up kingdoms on top of ruins. His mere name frightened even the ruler of the gods.

And Aris was now in his home. On a bed of his. Gods protect him.

Aris knew of the stories of Idan. The only reason he knew was because of his mother’s servants. Servants that used to belong to Champions or other more important gods. How shameful, a servant knew more about the gods then an actual god.

Criarus was greedy, hungry for power and glory. He would stop at nothing to get what he wants. He would kill or destroy if it was needed. It was widely said that no one could bring him to his knees. Except the first gods.

That’s what they were called. Children of Kadea and children of Phanes. First gods in existence. The most powerful and the most feared.

When Criarus foolishly declared war on the first gods, Idan had been the one to quite literally smash the god’s head in a wall. Of course, the god could not die, but it left him in pain for months. 

“ Uros. “ Aris called out, not expecting the servant to hear him, but he did.

In a second, Uros was walking timidly in the room, head bowed down, hands clasped. His robes were of a black color, not at all colorful like Aris was accustomed to. 

“ Yes, my god? “ Uros’ voice was husky and rough, as if smoke was constantly in his lungs, like a wildfire. 

Aris wondered if he should ask questions from a servant, seeing how they carry themselves around the temple.

“ What is Idan like? “ 

Uros raised his head with wide eyes. “ I beg your pardon. “

“ What is your master, Idan, like, as a person? “ Aris leaned forward on his elbows. Uros audibly swallowed.

“ Well, “ He cleared his throat. “ Our ruler of the darkness is a benevolent death deity that rules over the unseen and the cosmos. He is an understanding and powerful god - “ 

Aris flapped his hands around. “ No, no, no! That sounds like a speech! Tell me truthfully, Uros. Your sincere opinion. I won’t tell a soul! “

The servant was taken aback. After all, it is not everyday that a minor god flaps his arms around and interrupts your talking. He bit at the inside of his cheeks and then sighed. 

“ Idan is kind. I will not lie, my young god. He’s understanding, and a great listener. He’s powerful, but never used that power on us. “ Uros averted his eyes. “ He’s an extremely good master, my young god. “ He tacked on.

Aris nodded, then stood up and shook his head. “ Where is he? “

Uros blinked. “ The library.. ? “ He seemed almost uncertain. But who could blame him. All visitors usually avoided meeting Idan for more than once. Only his siblings stood for longer, but they were rather busy in their specific areas. 

Aris nodded and began walking out, his clenched fists moving by his sides, head raised up proudly as he navigated through the temple before coming to a bitter realization.

He didn’t know where the library was.

Aris frowned and looked around the hallway he was in, to see two women dressed in traditional virginal robes. 

“ Uhm, excuse me. The library? “ 

One of the women smiled softly and raised her index finger. “ Go to the left and first door. “

Aris nodded in thanks as the two women giggled among themselves at the youthful god.

Fertility and light gods generally stood away from deities of concepts such as darkness or the unknown. It would never matter how nice the dark gods were, they would always be feared face to face, and scorned behind closed doors.

Aris stood in front of the huge wooden door and knocked thrice. 

“ Come in. “ A soft and at the same time rough voice. 

He opened the door and stared at Idan holding a book in the middle of the room. He stepped in shyly.

“ Do you need something? Is everything alright? “ Idan’s words were laced with worry, and any person could see that. 

Aris shook his head. “ I simply wanted to see how you are doing. “ 

Idan blinked then smiled. “ I’m doing quite well. And you, my honored guest? “

Aris averted his eyes and turned his head away. He should not feel like this. Simple words should not make him blush as much as they did.

“ Very w-well. “ His voice almost cracked and he stuttered, but Idan did not press further, only raising an eyebrow, then turned to his book.

“ Aris, what do you know of the Champions? “ 

Aris knew what everyone knew about the Champions. That they were strong head gods, gods that determined the course of the world. Gods that made the rules. 10 gods that no mortal, spirit, or minor god would dare cross. 

“ The basics. Why? “ 

Idan smiled wider, closed the book, put it back on the shelf and advanced towards Aris slowly. “ Would you like to learn what others may not know about them? “

It was safe to say, Aris was beyond confused. What others may not know about them? What was that supposed to mean?

“ Pardon? “ 

Idan chuckled. “ They may be head gods, but they are not the most powerful. “ His eyes darkened. “ It does not matter how many crowns you put on a dog, he will never be a king. “

Aris stammered, at a loss for words, as Idan was inches away from him. Idan stepped back, his usual smiley self returning full force, as if the discussion had not taken place.

“ I must go now. Please do not hesitate to call any servant if you need anything. And, “ Idan reached out his arm and tucked a stray lock behind Aris’ ear. “ Do not hesitate to call for me, Aris. “

Aris was left alone in the midst of bookshelves, books about gods, mortals, poetry of epic battles, of forbidden loves, books that recounted wars, and books that talked of mystical lands. Books you could get lost in, never to return. Books that left you speechless for days after reading them. Books were not a common thing at Phona's temple. She did not want her precious son to learn of the outside world and venture in it. He was beauty. They would _destroy_ him. 

He blinked numerous times, as if trying to ground himself on what happened. His hand subconsciously reached out in one of the bookshelves and pulled out a small beige book with only one word written on it.

**_LOVE._ **


	4. Chapter 3: “ I wanna waste all of my time / With you. “

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hi.  
> it's late and i have no excuses.  
> but, another chapter of aris' and idan's story. now some cute interaction between the two mcs and also introducing kennai. (who is one of my favorite characters to develop and write. i just have an extremely soft spot for gods that love humans.)

Chapter 3: “ I wanna waste all of my time / With you. “

Over the last few days, Aris had never left Idan’s side. The older god didn’t seem to mind, and laughed cheerfully when Aris would run to be at his side. Aris had also befriended several servants by now.

The servants found it adorable and cooed when they would see the two gods chattering and laughing at almost every little thing.

“ Aris, do you like flowers? “ Idan asked one day during their walks. Aris’ face brightened and it was if someone lit a candle in a dark room.

“ Absolutely! “ Aris said, excitedly. “ Mama had a whole garden of different flowers, and I would pick them and admire them and - “

Aris stopped suddenly. He hadn’t seen flowers in his stay. He guessed the realm of a god of darkness was no place for a flourishing garden. Yet he had hoped for at least a carnation or a lily. 

“ Is something wrong? “ Aris snapped his head to see the worried expression imprinted on Idan’s face. Aris shook his head with a small smile.

“ Nothing. I had just hoped you would have a garden. “ His words came as barely a whisper, but Idan heard it. He always seemed to.

Idan looked ahead with narrowed eyes before softening and beckoning Aris to follow him deeper in the temple. This was a part of the temple Aris had dared not venture into, in fear of upsetting Idan.

Idan did not speak as he walked, seemingly moving on air if Aris had not seen his feet on the ground. The two went all the way to the back of the temple, Idan coming to a halt, and letting Aris go in first.

The young god took a deep breath and a few steps.

What awaited him made his heart skip a beat, then jump into his ribcage. A garden. An actual garden. Granted, it was smaller than the one he was used to, but it was a garden nonetheless.

Aris wasted no time to, quite literally, dive right into a patch of carnations. He smelled the flowers and heard Idan chuckle behind him.

“ Do you like it, Aris? “ Idan asked. Aris nodded with a small ‘mhm’. The night god was pleased. He had truly hoped Aris would enjoy himself here. 

“ It’s beautiful. “ Aris managed out, before burying his face into the petals. To say he loved them would be an understatement. He was a vegetation god. Flowers were basically life to him.

Idan stood for a few seconds before crouching down to Aris’ level. “ Here. Look up at me, Aris. “ Aris did so. Idan reached his calloused hand into the patch and ripped a few white carnations from their spot.

Aris waited as he watched Idan fumbled with the flowers, picking up strands of grass every so often. Aris noticed Idan had a habit of parting his lips so slightly and narrowing his eyes when he was concentrating on something. He had done the same thing while reading or looking at Aris.

“ What are you making? “ Aris was quickly shushed as Idan practically shoved his creation on top of Aris’ curls. 

The younger god yelped and almost fell back, but he regained his balance, softly touching his head. Contrasting with the dark curls was a crown of pretty white carnations with the usual green leaf between them. Aris fixed the crown and stared at Idan.

Aris was used to the calm and collected Idan. The one who read books as much as religious worshipers frequented temples. The one who talked to Aris about gods, monsters, kings, queens. The one who spoke with a smile, even to the lowest servant.  
But this Idan was nervously biting his lip, fidgeting with his fingers, and eyes widened in curiosity. Aris blinked.

“ Thank you, Idan. Thank you for showing me the gardens and for this. “ He pointed to the flower crown, earning a soft chuckle from Idan. It may have been because of how Aris was raised, or how starved he realized he was, but he wrapped his small hands around Idan’s neck.

Once he realized this wasn’t really how things worked in Idan’s realm, Aris was more than prepared to back away, but a pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around his body. He was momentarily shocked, but seemed to regain quickly.

Idan buried his nose into the crook of Aris’ neck, wishing to drown himself into the smell of fresh soil and sweet-smelling flowers. Since Aris arrived in his temple by seemingly mistake, the whole realm seemed to come alive. The garden the two laid had not been visited by Idan for years now, as he seemed to not need it. 

If Aris smelled of flowers and soil, of spring and life, Idan smelled like death and darkness. It wasn’t the kind of death that made you scrunch up your nose and turn away in disgust. He smelled almost sweet, like lavender. Aris hadn’t expected such a sweet scent to flood his senses. But he wished he could say he cared at all.

What finally broke them apart was the clearing of a throat. Aris jumped from Idan’s grip, as if he had been burned and Idan sighed, resting his deep eyes onto the person that interrupted them so rudely.

“ Idan. How lovely it is to see you again. “ It was a man, maybe about the same height as Idan, his long shiny black hair held back by a blood-red ribbon that, aside from his extremely bright blue eyes, were the only color he wore. His robes, his sandals, even his jewelry were the color of coal.

Idan raised himself up, dusting off his robes, then helped Aris up. “ What is it, Kennai? “ Aris almost double-checked. This was not a tone Idan ever used on Aris. Not even when he broke that pretty vase that depicted a group of nymphs offering their worship to the vegetation gods.

“ Ouch. “ Kennai mocked hurt. He smiled slyly, turning his bright blue eyes on Aris who was readjusting his flower crown. “ And who is this? A boy toy? “

Aris lowered his hands and watched as Idan’s usual snow-white face turned into the shade of healthy and ripe tomatoes, his eyes fuming with an anger Aris had never seen before.

“ Pardon me, but what exactly is a ‘boy toy’? “ The words were foreign in Aris’ mouth. Was it a friend? If so, then Aris hoped he could consider himself a friend of Idan.

“ Oh, well, my dear young god, a boy toy is a - “ Kennai was cut short when Idan roughly kicked him in the shins. Aris gasped. He had never seen Idan attack anyone. Kennai groaned in pain, rubbing his wounded area. 

“ If you fill his mind with your perversions, I will skin you alive as an offering to the death spirits of the underworld. “ Idan threatened, his eyes narrowed in anger. Kennai pouted.

Aris was at a loss. Was he meant to be here? To assist at his display of threats and somewhat familiarity? 

Idan sighed and rubbed his face in exasperation. He turned his now soft eyes to Aris. “ I apologize, Aris. This is my brother, Kennai. He is the god of humanity and humans. “ 

Aris almost dropped to the ground in bowing. Kennai was an extremely important god. Next to the Champions, he was one of the most worshiped gods by the humans. It wasn’t too hard to see why. He created the first humans of this pantheon, and pampered them. 

It was known Kennai was extremely active in humans’ lives. No one had enough hands to count the amount of times Kennai had helped humans through their problems. No matter how many times the other gods warned him not to, he still shoved himself into humans’ lives.

“ Aris, do forgive me. I need to speak with my brother. “ Idan gave him a reassuring smile and shoved Kennai away with a hand on the back of his neck.

Aris nodded slowly, and watched as the two brothers walked further and further away, leaving Aris alone in the garden. The flowers turned to see him.

But it was okay. He was used to being alone.


	5. Chapter 4: “ You need a big god / Big enough to hold your love “

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> introducing a new goddess, my absolute baby goddess that i love, a little conversation between aris and the new character and a quite important scene at the end

Idan and Kennai spoke for how long it took Aris to decipher the names of the flower species in Idan’s garden. He was still uncertain what exactly the name of a particular flower was.

White, stringy and weird-looking. Aris scrunched up his nose.

“ Ghost orchid. “ Aris jumped, almost falling headfirst into the batch of the mysterious flowers. A dark hand latched itself on Aris and pulled him up just in time. Aris blinked at the strange figure.

A feminine figure, he remarked. Dark smooth skin, manicured hands. Her body was voluptuous and covered by blue ankle-length robes that had constellations sewn on them. Her hair reached her hips in wild waves, gleaming stars woven into her light blonde hair. Her eyes were pure white and spoke of softness. 

“ I’m so sorry for startling you. “ Her lips quivered into a smile. She let go of Aris as he nodded. “ That flower is called a ghost orchid. Beautiful and strange, is it not? “ 

“ Very. “ Aris glanced back at the peculiar flower. _Ghost Orchid._ “ I’m Aris. God of youthful beauty, love, and fertility. “ He bowed down in respect.

The woman laughed softly. “ I am Truna. Goddess of stars and constellations. “ 

Aris choked as he took a step back. Truna was also a child of Kedea, and by association sister of Idan and Kennai. She was a primordial goddess. A goddess who bended several gods to her will, and spat upon even Criarus and his brothers. Not to mention she took the role of a war goddess several centuries ago. 

“ Please, do not treat me as higher than you. We are on the same level, are we not? “ 

Aris spluttered. “ Pardon, but how exactly am I, a minor god of fertility, on the same level as a daughter of Kedea? “ 

Truna raised an eyebrow. “ Your relation to my brother puts you on the same level as me. “ 

“ My relation to your brother? “ 

Truna blinked, equally as confused. “ You are lovers, are you not? “ 

_Lovers._ Lovers. She thought they were lovers. 

“ By the Balance, no! “ Aris waved his hands around, shaking his head. “ We are nothing like that. Idan is a very good person, and yes he’s handsome and has shown me kindness and this garden, and he’s really nice to me - But he’s not my lover! “ 

Truna chuckled. “ I apologize for assuming. But, if the chance ever arose, would you become his lover? “ 

Silence laid a thick blanket over the two gods. Truna’s eyes gazed into Aris’ own grass-soil ones. Neither of them spoke for a few moments. Aris sighed. 

“ Possibly..? Is that the correct answer? “ 

Truna laughed, raised one of her hands adorned with silver rings and bracelets. “ There is no correct answer in love. You as a love god should know that. “ 

Before Aris could respond, Idan and Kennai made their way to the garden. Kennai was grinning from ear to ear, while Idan was as red as the roses Phona adored. 

Upon seeing Truna, Idan’s eyes widened and confusion overtook his face. “ Truna? “

“ Hello, brother. “ Truna smiled, as Idan and Kennai walked over to them. 

Idan gulped. “ What are you doing here, Truna? “ 

She laughed softly. “ Did you think I would let Kennai come here on his own? “ 

“ Hey! “ Kennai looked mildly offended, as Truna laughed and Idan chuckled. 

Aris clasped his hands together behind his body and observed the strange domesticity. Idan seemed at ease, yet at the same time on the edge and tense with his siblings. While Kennai and Truna were playfully arguing, Idan kept looking over to Aris, eyes gleaming with an emotion neither of them knew to name.

Truna glanced at the two, white eyes observing the two souls try to reach each other, but failing. A golden gleam try to race towards a darkness unknown. And she smiled. 

“ Ahem. “ Kennai cleared his throat rather rudely. Idan glared at him. “ Truna and I have been here for almost an hour, yet we have not been served. How rude of my brother. “

A low growl was heard in Idan’s throat, making Kennai step closer to Truna. The goddess raised an eyebrow. 

“ Are you scared of Idan? “ She asked. 

“ Of course not! “ Kennai declared, but grabbed into Truna’s hand as Idan took one step towards him. Truna threw her head back and laughed, starry locks moving with her. 

“ Do not act so tough, Idan. “ Truna warned. “ Remember when you got scared of a frog? “ 

Aris felt the need to interrupt now. “ A frog? “

He knew it was wrong to interrupt primordial gods. No matter how domestic or loving they appeared, Aris was taught that all gods had a heart of darkness who only saw power and would slaughter cities for it. At least, that’s what Phona told him. Now he started to doubt it.

But instead of getting angry, Truna nodded, a bright smile on her face.

“ We were still young, children, really. I am older than these two so I took them to a nearby forest. “ Despite a protest from Idan and a snicker from Kennai, Truna continued. “ Idan thought he was the bravest god out in the world. He ventured in front of us, deep into the forest. “

“ Truna please - ! “ Kennai jumped and covered Idan’s mouth, a devil-like smile bent on mischief on his face. 

“ It didn’t take long before I heard a terrifying scream and Idan jumped back, straight into my arms. “ She laughed softly, remembering the event. “ I asked what was wrong, and he pointed to a small green frog that had jumped on a mushroom and terrified my precious little brother. “

Kennai stood back and laughed. Idan scowled. 

Aris began laughing softly. “ Of a small frog? “ Truna nodded, both deities having a laugh over the long gone childhood.

“ I remember that! It wasn’t too long before Kedea died - “ Kennai trailed off, eyes widened. He turned to look at Idan whose expression was told a grief stricken tale. They were still young gods when Kedea vanished and left most of her responsibilities to her children, especially to Idan.

“ Idan? “ Truna inquired, trying to make sure her brother was in a safe place. She shot Kennai a quick glare. 

Idan did not move. Nor did he speak. His mouth and throat were starting to dry, eyes watering, and heart trying to beat itself out of his chest. He kept his head down low, afraid of anyone knowing a mighty god could feel like this.

It had been a long time since he felt so small, so weak, so defenseless. Idan tried to remove all memories of Kedea from his home, and his head. Kennai just had to mention her.

“ Idan? “ Aris’ voice was like a soft lullaby, and it awfully reminded Idan of the tone Kedea used to talk to him. “ Idan, it’s alright. Take a deep breath. “

Kennai and Truna watched in absolute shock as Idan took a deep breath for a few seconds, then released it, his body visibly relaxing. 

Aris smiled and reached his soft hand to grab Idan’s own calloused hands. The older god let him, and took a few more breaths at the command of Aris. 

Aris turned to the two siblings who did not speak throughout the whole ordeal, their eyes trained on Aris like hawks. The young god shot them a small smile and returned his absolute attention to Idan.


	6. Chapter 5: “ You told me to look straight into the light / That the heavens are repenting out for you tonight “

**Chapter 5: “ You told me to look straight into the light / That the heavens are repenting out for you tonight “**

Kennai and Truna left, but not after Kennai ate all the sweets in Idan’s home, and Truna didn’t frolic in the soft mattresses. 

“ I’m so sorry about them, Aris. “ Idan apologized to Aris as they sat in the library. The small Love-titled book sat on Aris’ lap.    


Aris raised an eyebrow. “ Why should they bother me? “ 

Idan pulled out a thick dark book from a shelf. “ They are loud, annoying, noisy, have no manners - I could go on. “ 

Aris laughed and Idan felt like spring flowers bloomed in the gloomy library. He could just smell the lavenders and carnations. 

Speaking of carnations, Aris refused under any circumstances to remove the flower crown from his head. His fertility aspect kept the flowers blooming ever so beautifully even in the shade. Idan didn’t even know who was more beautiful with the bare light shining on them; the flowers or maybe Aris? 

“ I find them pleasant. Granted, loud, but pleasant. “ Aris grabbed the book and only got through 2 pages before Idan spoke again.

“ Do you have siblings? “ 

His question was simple, yet Aris stood too much to think. He had, but how many? His father sired many godlings, many demigods, many spirits. 

“ Yes. “ he said at last. “ All of them from my father. My mother had no children. The.. violation she endured from my father left her traumatized. “ 

It was common knowledge among the gods. They knew it mainly because of Aris’ existence, and Criarus’ boasting of his bedding of a fertility and beauty goddess. And while some gods congratulated him, some reprimanded him but couldn’t do anything as he was the king of the gods.

Idan scrunched his nose in disgust. News of the gods didn’t always reach Idan, and if they did, they became distorted, so it was difficult to know what the truth was. 

“ I hear Criarus fathered many spawns. '' Idan commented, trailing his fingers on the covers of the books. '' One would say, too many for a single god. “ 

Aris laughed softly, touching his mouth with his hand. Idan smiled and walked close to Aris. 

When Aris’ eyes landed on Idan’s smiling figure, Truna’s words came back to him.

_ But, if the chance ever arose, would you become his lover? _

Would he? If Idan extended his hand and asked for love, would Aris give it to him? Would he grab Idan’s hand and let himself be guided through the idea of love? 

Aris realized if push came to shove, he wouldn’t do that. No. 

He would leap into Idan’s arms probably. The past few days, almost weeks, Aris realized how Idan changed so much from their first meeting. No. Idan was as kind as when they first met. It was Aris who saw him different.

When Aris saw Idan walk through the halls of his temple, when he pat Aris’ head, when he smiled at his servants, when he talked to his siblings. 

Aris had servants at his mother’s temple. He had small crushes on his mother’s servants, both female and male, but they faded away after a day or two. But it has been almost a few weeks and the heart did not stop hammering in his chest when Idan touched his shoulder or smiled at him.

“ Aris? Are you alright? “ Idan asked, leaning down, his face a couple of inches away from Aris’ now red face. “ Are you sick? “ 

Aris shook his head slowly. “ N-no. I.. I. “ He couldn’t speak. Idan was smiling so warmly, Aris was afraid he would get burned if he touched him. Aris cleared his throat.

Idan touched Aris’ forehead gently. He chuckled, and the sound made Aris shiver. “ Gods cannot get ill, my dear. “ 

They stood like that, in complete silence, until Idan spoke again. 

“ Aris, I find your demeanor and looks quite pleasing to be around. “ He leaned closer, grabbing the book Aris had read before. “ You are similar to a flower in a dark cold garden. So beautiful, yet so rare. “ 

Aris opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. 

“ May I kiss you? “ 

Aris finally nodded, pursuing his lips. Idan leaned in close and rested his lips upon Aris’. It was soft, gentle, and even when Aris opened his mouth slightly, and Idan went deeper, it did not hurt him in the slightest. 

Aris had never been kissed. The servants were forbidden from looking at him in any way that wasn’t respect. Phona was deeply protective of her son’s innocence, going as far as to make him feel afraid of intimacy. 

_ They will rob you of all happiness with a kiss. They will force you to kiss them, and it will be rough and painful.  _ But Idan was not rough. He cradled Aris’ face, and made sure it was gentle, and he asked. He did not force Aris to kiss him. 

When Idan pulled away, Aris was a red faced mess. Idan blinked, then rubbed his thumb gently on Aris’ swollen lips. 

“ I hope I did not make you uncomfortable. “ Idan started, his voice slipping into concern. “ It was not my intention. If I hurt you with my request, I apologize. I hope you did not feel pressured to kiss me because it is my home, I would not be able to li - “

“ Idan. “ Aris interrupted him, waving his hands around. “ That’s - That’s not the case. I.. I liked it. Kinda. “ 

Idan looked with shock. “ Oh. “ was all he said. “ Alright. “ 

Now it was Idan’s turn to be a red faced mess. Even quicker than the blink of an eye, Idan vanished in a cloud of black smoke, leaving Aris alone in the library. 

“ Uros. Utala. “ Aris spoke, almost without thinking. 

In a second, both servants appeared in front of him. Uros, with his robe the color of soil and sandals tied tightly, and Utala, her hair now in two thin braids that cascaded down her back, her ankle-length dress the color of the sea. 

Utala gulped. “ My lord, I would like to apologize for my indecent behaviour upon our first meeting. I know no words can ever express how sorry I am, and I will be punished how you see fit. Lord Idan has already made me weave 5 tapestries of his - “

“ Utala! No. “ Aris laughed softly. “ It’s quite alright. I was a stranger here. I did not call upon you to punish you. I called for your advice. “

Both servants stared in shock. 

“ Our advice? “ was Uros’ question.

“ From us? “ Utala pointed to her and Uros. 

Aris nodded excitedly. Utala grimaced.

“ On what? We will try our best. “ 

Aris fumbled with his fingers. “ Idan.. may have kissed me. “ 

Silence laid over them. And while Uros stared with wide disbelieving eyes, Utala’s face morphed into pure excitement as she jumped next to Aris.

“ Oh, my lord - “ 

“ Aris. “ he smiled. “ Call me Aris. I would like for us to be friends. “ 

Utala nodded. “ Of course! Aris, this is exciting! I mean, come on. The way he gazed at you, the way you smiled when he touched your shoulder or head. The way you still keep the flower crown he made. “ 

Aris touched the soft white petals and smiled. Utala kept grinning.

“ I’m surprised  _ he  _ made the first move. With how shy he is. But I’m happy for you! “ 

Uros frowned. “ Wait, you don’t like lord Idan? I thought you had a crush on him and were jealous of Aris. “ 

Utala cringed. “ Uros, we’ve been friends for 250 years. I prefer women. “

Aris laughed as Uros could not wrap his head around the fact his friend of 2 centuries and a half was interested in the female gender. This was intimacity. But it was different from what he shared with Idan. He felt sparks, he felt heat, he felt soft with Idan.

With Uros and Utala, he felt different. Not better. Just different. And it was good too..

“ But in all honesty, “ Utala turned to Aris. “ Do not rush things. It will not work. Does he treat you well? Are you happy around him? Do you feel good here? “ Aris nodded. She smiled. “ Then that’s all that matters, Aris. Right, Uros? “ 

“ Are you sure you like women? What about that soldier? “ 

“ She was a woman with short hair! “ Utala nearly screamed. Aris burst out laughing. 


	7. Chapter 6: “Oh Lord, Oh Lord, I'm begging you please / Don't take that sinner from me”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a rather short new year chapter, but next chapter shit goes down

After hours of Utala advising on Aris on love, Uros trying his best but failing, and Aris sinking in himself in the chair when Utala brought up the concept of sex. 

Several days had passed, and in them, Aris and Idan were nothing but sweating and red-faced messes around each other. Neither of them found the courage to bring up the kiss, or what it made them now. 

“ Aris, stop pacing around. You make me dizzy. '' Utala sighed, while Uros was trying his absolute best to stand still, as Utala braided his shoulder-length hair. He would move his head on instinct, and Utala would raise it and growl in her throat.

“ Apologies. '' Aris slumped down on a red velvet sofa and drew his knees close to rest his arms on them. Utala tied her friend’s hair in place, then allowed the poor Uros to escape her hawk-like hold. 

“ It’s quite alright, Aris. But what are you so worried about? Has something happened? “ Utala started to grow worried. She brushed her black hair out of the way and watched her new friend raise his head and then sigh.

“ It’s.. Idan. “ 

Uros and Utala turned to him with wide eyes. Utala was the first to respond, clenching her fist.

“ Did he hurt you? Because if he did - “ Her eyes were narrowed in anger, but before she could finish her threat, Aris flayed his arms around. Uros chuckled under his breath, remembering the first day Aris arrived there and how he did the same thing to him.

“ He did not! In fact, he barely spoke to me since the kiss. It’s like I’m a stranger again, and not someone who spent weeks in his home and kissed him. “ 

“ Maybe he’s afraid. “ Uros spoke, in a low tone. Utala tapped her chin with a clean blood-red fingernail, matching her lips quite well. 

“ Perhaps. Our Lord is quite shy. In the nearly 3 centuries we have worked here, I have never seen him so flustered. “ Utala laughed and stood up, letting her light blue dress fall to her ankles.

Aris raised an eyebrow. “ How did you two get to work for a first born God? “ 

“ I was born in his realm. “ Utala started. “ I have 8 sisters, all forest maidens born from a minor tree goddess. All 9 of us work for Idan, and while my sisters work the tapestries and the flora, I work the defense. “

“ Please don’t make the mistake of thinking just because she’s short and slender, she won’t throw you in the next realm. “ Uros said, shivering, as if that happened to him. Utala smirked and cracked her knuckles. 

“ My sisters are extremely talented with their weaving and I admire how fast their fingers can work. I could never do that. I would get my hands hit and stuck several times. “ She laughed and made a vague hand expression of brushing it off. Then eyes turned to Uros.

“ I was born in the mortal realm, close to the humans. When foreigners came, I fled to Idan’s temple who took me in as his servant. “ It was simple enough, but the way Uros averted his eyes when he spoke of foreigners and how he bit his lip, told Aris that something more had happened. This was confirmed when Utala sighed, and then pinched Uros’s ear.

“ Up, you old man. “ She said while Uros hissed.

“ You are older than me! “ Uros argued, but Utala paid him no mind. She waved friendly to Aris, then teleported out of the room, taking a complaining Uros with her. 

Aris was left alone in his room, draping himself over the velvet couch. His white robes fell with him, raising over his knees up to his thigh, exposing his soft tan skin. He stretched his arms then felt a surge of power come into the room.

With little smoke, Idan stood in the middle of the room. His eyes got wide when he saw his guest not leaving much to the imagination. Aris kicked his feet and got into a curl position.

“ I’m so sorry! I didn’t know you were planning to take a nap, Utala told me you needed me and .. “ He trailed off then ran a hand over his face. It became clear to them now that Utala had planned this. 

Aris peeked at Idan through some stray strands as the God walked closer and crouched down. 

“ Aris, I want to talk. I’m sorry for ignoring you. I have not brought up the kiss between us in fear I had done something to offend you. I simply felt as if I’m sullying you and being a horrible influence on you. I don’t want you to think you owe me anything. You don’t. I would never ask you to do anything you don’t want. “ 

Aris listened patiently, then fully raised his head. “ I want to kiss you again. Please. “ 

Idan’s eyes widened. “ Me too. “ He whispered and Aris shot forward, crashing their lips together. He wrapped his arms around Idan and let him push forward.

In a second, Idan was on top of Aris, kissing him furiously, smiling whenever Aris moaned or mewled. They broke away for breath and Idan looked at his neck, then back at Aris. Aris nodded and Idan went to bite Aris’s throat, making Aris arch his body. 

Aris never felt like this before. He felt _hot,_ a certain hotness that could only be cooled by Idan’s touch. What emotion was he feeling? He didn’t know nor he really wanted to know. All he knew was that he never felt better. 

After making Aris’s throat a map of love bites, Idan raised his head. 

“ Are we lovers? “ Aris asked all of the sudden, making Idan stop. 

“ If you want. “ Idan responded, then lightly kissed his chin.

“ I do. “ 

“ I do too. “ And they went back to kissing.

After a few more moments of hungry, patient, and laughter-filled kisses, Idan was called by one of his maiden servants, to help mend an argument probably between Utala and another servant. Aris was left on the couch, catching his breath.

He was lovers with Idan. He, a mere minor god of youth, beauty, and fertility, was the lover of a first born God. His mother would surely be mad if she ever found out about them. 

But she wasn’t here now, and Aris felt something escape his soul ever since he started staying in Idan’s temple. He felt trapped, as if he couldn’t do much in his mother’s care. Idan let him explore, let him choose, let him voice his sincere opinion and actually pushed Aris to be more confident. 

_But, if the chance ever arose, would you become his lover?_ Oh yes, Truna, he would. He just did. 


	8. Chapter 7: “ Juliet, the dice was loaded from the start / And I bet, and you exploded into my heart “

Aris was now laying in the garden, his favorite place in Idan's realm now, with Utala and Uros. They quickly became his friends in Idan’s temple. Uros was rather confused at most things, took time to understand things, but meant well. Utala was outgoing, she liked to talk a lot, but was down to deck someone. 

“ Do you know where Idan is? “ Aris asked. Uros and Utala shared quick glances then both shrugged. 

“ He said someone came visit him. Maybe it’s another sibling or a nephew. “ Uros said, touching a leaf softly. 

“ He will be fine, don’t worry about him, flower. “ Utala had taken to giving him a nickname, based on how much he loved the flowers surrounding him. 

Aris nodded but felt a lump form in his throat. Idan was strong, maybe the strongest god. But damn if he didn’t feel worried for him. It had been about 2 days since their hungry kisses, and Aris had never felt more warm than now. He would pass Idan in the temple and they would kiss or embrace. 

Aris softly touched a pink flower, admiring its petals that dripped with dew. Utala was laying on the ground, her dark hair sprawled out beneath her. Uros had stepped a little bit earlier on her hair and she bit his ankle. The more Aris spent with them and Idan, the happier he got. Sure, he liked his mother’s temple and her servants, but Uros and Utala were much more.. Alive. Happy. 

An angry scream was heard from the main section of the temple. Uros and Utala both shot to their feet, Utala jumping over a patch of lilies to stand protectively in front of Aris. 

The yell seemed so familiar, it chilled Aris to the core. He made movements to leave the garden, see if his suspicions were accurate, and more importantly if Idan was alright. 

Uros made a quick hand movement to restrain Aris in place, but he was quicker. It came with his small figure. Utala and Uros let out a long line of curses when Aris slipped past them, out of the garden, through the rather empty halls and straight into the main part of the temple. 

He could hear his two friends chase after him, colorful words jumping from their lips, but it was in vain. 

In the middle of the temple, Idan stood, tall and strong with the short robe he loved so much, his eyes narrowed. But it wasn’t him Aris saw first.

It was the beautiful goddess with sun-kissed skin, golden curls and fiery blue eyes. Her hand was raised, as if she was ready to slap Idan, but the older god did not back away, nor flinch.

“ You brute! You have my son! How dare you! My precious innocent son! “ She spat out, snarling. “ I bet you have laid hands on my son, haven’t you?! That’s all males do! They put their hands where they shouldn’t! Give him back to me! “ 

When Idan did not speak, Phona growled and looked like she wanted nothing more than to hit Idan.

“ Mother! “ Aris screamed and Phona and Idan both turned to lay their gaze upon him. While Phona looked angry, Idan’s face turned to concern. 

Aris walked closer until Phona wrapped her arms around Aris. The young god flinched but let her hug him. 

She pulled away, but still kept her hands around him. “ Oh, my sweet child. I’m so sorry I wasn’t there. Are you safe? Did he touch you? Please tell me he didn’t. “ She took to checking his face, then his body.

Aris slapped her hands away then turned to Idan. Upon closer inspection, Idan’s cheek was slightly red, with a hand imprint. Aris swallowed bile. Phona had hit him. 

“ Mother! Have you hit Idan? “ 

Phona blinked for a couple of seconds, while Aris moved to touch Idan’s face. And the older god let him. He even leaned into his touch, a small smile playing on his face.

“ I’m sorry if she hit you. “ Aris whispered, but when he tried to cradle his face, Phona drew his hand back, digging her nails into his skin. Aris winced.

“ Stop it! He stole you from me! Weni told me he came into my gardens and took you, planning to violate you! “ 

Weni. Weni lied to her. Weni, the servant Aris trusted. How could he? Aris’ face dropped. 

“ Mother, he did not. Please. Idan didn’t touch me. He didn’t hurt me while I was here. He just kissed me and - “ 

“ Kissed you?! “ Phona was revolted. A kiss was enough for her temper to explode again. In a second, she slapped Idan again, his face turning to the side slightly. Idan was the strongest god. If he wanted to, he could kill Phona then and there, and no one would punish him. But he didn’t. He allowed Phona to slap and scream. 

“ Hands off the lord, wench. '' Utala growled, making her way in front of Idan and pushing Phona away. Phona hissed, but Utala stood her ground. She made a move to hit Phona, but Uros held her hand back, noticing Idan’s slight shake of his hand.

“ You are coming home. “ Phona declared, watching Aris’ face turn from worry to absolute horror. “ No buts, no nothing. “ She then turned to Idan and glared.

“ You brute. “ She spat at his feet, making him take a step back. 

“ Idan.. '' Aris started, and Phona wrapped her hand around Aris’ wrist. “ No mother, no! “

He didn’t have much time to plead, for he was no longer in the comfort of Idan’s temple. He was instead back in his mother’s realm, the wind brushing past them and ruffling their robes. A couple of servants awaited them, hands clasped and sweating.

Aris barely registered which servants were there. He hardly cared. But Weni was there. And he looked positively terrified. Sweats trickled his forehead, his cheeks were red, his lips parted, and his eyes wide in fear. He had lied to Phona, making her take her son from the one place he felt free and actually loved. 

Before Phona could start her scolding once again, Aris stomped over to Weni, eyes narrowed in pure hate.

“ How could you? “ he spat out, choking on his words as he tried so hard not to shed tears. “ How could you lie to my mother?! I trusted you! “ 

Weni backed up. Phona gasped and ran to her son. “ Weni is the only reason you are safe and sound, my beautiful son. “ She reached to grab his arm, but Aris turned his glare on her and snatched his arm away as if he was bit by a snake.

“ No! Weni is the reason I’m not with the man I love! I love Idan, mother! “ Phona’s eyes widened and they frantically searched for any sign of lie on her son’s face, but she could find none. In her anger, she dug her nails into his face.

Aris screamed as Phona scratched him, deep enough to leave a scar. Aris touched the singular scar where blood leaked down his chin, onto his robes and on the ground.

“ Oh, no.. “ Phona said, once she realized she had just wounded her precious son. Aris’s hazel eyes narrowed in anger and he watched Phona try to reach out to him. 

With glowing hands and eyes, Aris hissed at her touch, and vanished once again from her temple, hearing the shouts of Phona and the other servants, Weni included in the mix. 

As he blinked, Aris was neither in his mother’s realm, nor in Idan’s temple. He was in a hallway, tall with columns of gold, red carpets, stained windows, ceilings painted in the skies of the day and night with moving clouds and stars. 

Right now, he was in a strange place, with a scar on his face and the feeling of fear.

“ Aris? “ 

Aris whipped his head around to see two figures run towards him. One was tall and ripped, a dark red robe on, black hair in waterfalls over his shoulders.  _ Hedar _ . Aris noted, happily.

Next to him was a feminine figure, kind of short and chubby, with sun-kissed skin and heavy-set dark eyes, her long straight black hair tied in a half-bun. Taena, the goddess of marriage, and Aris’s half-sister from Criarus. 

She sometimes sneaked in with Hedar and gave Aris gifts. 

“ Oh dear, Aris, are you alright? “ Taena touched his cheek. Aris looked down at the ground. When Hedar saw his scar, he scowled. 

“ Who did that? Who do I need to maim? “ He was silenced by his sister. Aris sighed, realizing they were his siblings and he could tell them. He could trust them. 

“ I left Phona’s realm almost a month ago, and wound up in the first born God Idan’s temple. I.. I may be his lover right now. “ 

Hedar froze in shock, while Taena recovered from her momentary shock and squealed, wrapping her arms around her little brother. 

“ I’m so happy for you, little brother! “ She grinned. Blood had stopped leaking from his scar, but Taena grimaced when she saw it. “ But who gave you the scar? “ 

“ Mother. “ 

Neither god spoke. It was Hedar who broke the silence. 

“ Let me kill her! Let me! She did nothing but hurt Aris! “ Hedar screamed, and Taena tried to argue with him, but a loud and booming voice stopped all of them.

“ What’s Aris doing here? “ 


	9. Chapter 8: " Tell me that you mean it / Tell me that it's true "

_**WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS ATTEMPTED SEXUAL ASSAULT AND MOLESTATION** _

“ What’s Aris doing here? “

At the end of the hallway, tall, strong, with a dark green robe, the color of wealth and fortune, and a golden crown resting on dark curls, Criarus was raising an eyebrow in curiosity. 

Aris felt his throat tighten. Hedar clenched his fists at the sight of his father and both him and Taena stood protectively infront of Aris. 

“ I asked a question and I expect an answer. “ Aris noticed that he held a golden goblet in his hand. His tone had also got lower and was verging on anger.

“ He teleported here on accident. “ Hedar responded. When Criarus made a move to walk towards them, Taena raised her hand. 

Criarus widened his eyes then immediately narrowed them. Taena gulped and lowered her hand. Hedar held a deathly glare that rivaled his own father’s. If glares could burn, in the place of the gods would be ash. 

Criarus chuckled. “ Aris, my son. Why don’t you join us? We were celebrating a victory my  _ son _ , Hedar brought our nation. “ The way he referred to Hedar was almost in disgust. When he spoke to Aris, his tone was soft and honeyed. It made Aris sick. 

Criarus walked closer, then pushed Taena to the side slightly, and grabbed Aris’s wrist. Criarus looked Aris up and down and smirked, making his son shiver in fear. 

Hedar tried to reach his hand, but Criarus was already halfway to where he came from, dragging Aris with him. His look, his touch, his words, all of them made Aris feel disgusted.

Criarus had an obsession with fertility and beauty gods. They were always the most beautiful deities, and there were so many. But Criarus would never stoop so low as to touch his own son, would he? It was disgusting, a parent preying on his children was a crime punishable by death in the mortal realm. But was it like that for gods?

Criarus pushed open a large door with gold and silver edges, letting Aris see the main room of the Champions Palace. 

Huge, with statues of spirits and beautiful people, paintings of gods, and thrones made of the finest materials. Some of the thrones were occupied, while others were standing. But all eyes turned to the four gods as they entered the room.

Ulena, the goddess of the underworld, stood on her dark throne with wide red eyes. Nyrasil, the god of knowledge, ran a hand through his black hair. Mesyn, the goddess of the ocean, narrowed her eyes in disbelief. Irena, the goddess of nature, swallowed audibly and averted her eyes. 

“ Criarus, is this.. “ Mesyn trailed off, her voice bearing a hard accent that made her roll her r’s. 

Criarus smiled and nodded. “ This is Aris. Phona’s son. I invited him to celebrate with us. Sit with me, - “ 

“ No! “ Yone stood up. Yone was the goddess of wisdom, women, and mothers among other things. Yone was tall, with gleaming skin and dark brown hair coiled into a low bun with narcissus flowers adorned in her hair. She was Criarus’s wife and the Queen of the Gods, daughter of the nature god and the earth goddess. 

It was sudden and everyone looked at their queen weirdly. Criarus raised an eyebrow. Yone cleared her throat.

“ Criarus, Aris is by definition, my step-son. It’s only natural he sits by me in the absence of his mother. It’s the tradition. “

Criarus looked like he pondered it, before he nodded and let Aris go. Aris immediately ran to Yone’s side, who latched onto the younger god with a protectiveness only a parent could have. 

Criarus walked to his throne while Yone hurried to her own, keeping Aris by her side in a way that Criarus would have to lean his head in to see his son. 

As Criarus toasted and sipped on his liquor, the rest of the gods, some eager to drink and others worriedly looking at Aris, sipped on their drinks. 

Yone turned to Aris and whispered: “ Are you alright? “ 

Aris felt tears prick at his eyes, but he blinked them back and nodded. Yone smiled and grabbed his hand, holding it tight. Whenever Criarus would look at Aris, he would meet the intense glare of Yone.

This woman had never met Aris, only knew of his existence, but here she was, defending,  _ protecting  _ a child that wasn’t hers. He was the embodiment of her husband’s infidelity, and his brutality towards another. She had reasons to hate Aris, or at least ignore him, but she went out of her way to make him feel safe.

“ Care for a drink, my son? “ Criarus gave Aris a smaller goblet of what seemed like wine. It smelled like wine. Aris hesitantly nodded, feeling as if refusing would only do him harm. 

As he drew the cup to his lips, Yone patted his shoulder and held up 1 finger. Aris raised an eyebrow and pretended to sip. This seemed to satisfy Yone who nodded. Criarus paid them no attention. 

In the middle of the celebration, Ulena had excused herself, saying she had important business in the Underworld that could not wait, even if her sisters and Criarus insisted she stayed. 

The party was slowly nearing its end, and Aris had no idea what was going to happen to him. Would Criarus send him to Phona? Looking back on how Criarus would look at him, he wished he would do that. Even if Phona would be mad at him, even if she would yell. 

“ Who did this? '' Yone questioned, softly touching his scar once Criarus had gotten up to talk to Mesyn and Nyrasil. 

Aris gulped. “ My mother. “ 

Yone let her hand fall. “ I’m so sorry. “ She apologized, as if she was the one who did that and not Phona. “ A mother should not scar her child. Or hit. I find that people who hit their children cannot communicate. “ 

Aris just touched her hand and smiled, as if to give her reassurance. It worked as Yone smiled warmly and linked their foreheads together. 

When they separated it was just in time, for Criarus walked over to Aris, smiling.

“ My son, I have decided it wouldn’t be wise to return you to your mother just yet. I wish to spend some quality time with you, as your father. Come, let me take you to your chamber. “ Criarus reached out his hand expectantly. Aris turned to Yone who grimaced and bit her lip, looking as if she wanted nothing more than to hug Aris and take him away from Criarus.

Not wanting to summon the wrath of the King of the Gods, Aris took his father’s hand, and let himself be guided through the brightly lit halls. The Palace was grand and Aris wondered just how many rooms it stored, bedrooms not included. 

As they walked, with every step and second, Aris felt a knot in his stomach. He wasn’t meant to be here. He wasn’t safe here. 

_ Leave. Leave, child. Leave!  _ A voice unknown to him said, a voice that sounded like he should listen to it. 

In an instant, Aris groaned in pain as he felt himself be slammed against a wall. He opened his eyes wide to see the lustful gaze of Criarus.

“ My, how much you remind me of your mother. She felt so soft to the touch and screamed so much. “ Aris squirmed, but Criarus had him trapped, hands around his short body. This is what Criarus wanted since he saw him, this is why he invited him. To brutalize him?

“ Let me go! You are my father! '' Aris tried to push at his chest, kick his feet, but Criarus was bigger and stronger. His pleas did not budge the older god. Criarus held one hand trapping Aris, and the other touching his shoulder and going down.

“ We are gods. “ Criarus spat out, and squeezed Aris’s thigh. Aris screamed, as Criarus leaned in and tried to kiss him. Instead, he didn’t manage to do it, and settled on biting his throat, enough to draw blood.

“ Stop it! No! Somebody, please help me! “ 

Aris’s pleas fell on deaf ears. Everyone was back in their realms. Criarus didn’t allow any of them to remain after the party was over. Yone included left under threat. 

Criarus had snaked his hand under Aris robe, touching his skin. Once he confirmed that it was as soft as he imagined it, he attempted to push Aris to the ground. 

“ No! Get off me! Get off! “ No matter how much he yelled, how much he cried, even when he pushed Criarus head away or kicked his legs, he managed to push him on the ground, hoisting up his robe.

No one had touched him like this. Idan asked, Idan was gentle, Idan never went below his torso. Idan  _ always  _ asked if he did anything, kiss or touch. Criarus had not asked. Criarus thought it was perfectly fine to lay his disgusting hands on Aris.

In anger and shame, Aris screamed just before Criarus could undo his own robes, a bright light surrounding the two gods, a bright light radiating from Aris’s hands. In one swift motion and one touch to Criarus’s chest, the king was blasted into a wall.

Aris sobbed and backed away, straightening his robe to cover his body once more, and curling up in a corner.

Criarus groaned, writhed in pain and screamed. As if on command, several footsteps got louder and louder to the scene of the event. Aris peeked his head just enough to see Hedar in the group of gods.

“ What happened here? “ 


	10. Chapter 9: " But do you feel like a young God? / You know the two of us are just young Gods "

“ What happened here? “ Hedar asked, watching his father groan in pain. Upon closer inspection, Criarus’s chest was burnt as if with pure fire. Did Aris do that?

“ Aris! Aris! '' Taena ran forward towards Aris. In his fright, Aris whimpered, sounding like a hurt animal. Taena stopped dead in her tracks, eyes widened. Hedar looked at Aris’s fetal position, his cries, the obvious manhandling on his skin, his father’s burnt skin, put two and two together, and kicked Criarus. 

“ Hedar! What are you doing?! “ Nyrasil shouted, trying to stop his nephew from murdering Criarus, but not even his godly strength was enough to restrain an enraged older brother. 

“ Let me go, Nyrasil! Do you not see Aris cry?! He hurt my little brother! “ Hedar smashed his head against Criarus, making his father groan. The pain of his chest and now Hedar’s attack must have hurt deeply. 

And from the fighting, the crowd of the gods, a voice erupted. 

“ What is going on? “ 

Deep, rough, borderline angry yet still gentle. Behind the crowd, standing with Ulena as she bit her lower lip and playing with the hem of her dark dress, was Idan with a raised eyebrow.

“ By the Balance, King of Darkness! “ Mesyn covered her mouth. In a second, the small crowd of Champions bowed low to the ground, to show respect for the first born god. Idan raised his hand and shook his head.

“ I want to know what is going on. Ulena came frantically to me, claiming my most important former guest is in danger. “ 

That’s why she left. As an underworld goddess, Ulena had direct contact with the dark gods. She wouldn’t find it hard to talk to one of them, if she needed to. She must have feared for Aris’s life enough to call Idan. 

“ Uh, your most important former guest? Who? “ Irena spoke from her place behind Idon, the god of the sun and virtues. Idan gestured his hand towards the frightened Aris, his eyes now wide. 

“ Criarus hurt him! “ Hedar shouted, as Nyrasil slapped over his mouth, earning a growl from the war god. Idan blinked a couple of times and walked towards Aris.

He crouched down and Aris choked on a sob, falling right into his extended arms. After the rough touch of Criarus, Idan’s warm touch was just perfect. Just perfect for Aris. 

The Champions watched with wide eyes. Taena wiped away a few stray tears, while Hedar had kicked Criarus one more time and smiled at his brother. The other gods were rather uncomfortable, baffled at how intimate a first born god could be with a minor god. 

“ Tell us what happened, Aris. “ Ulena urged, walking closer. Yone walked besides her daughter, holding her arm. 

Aris let Idan wipe away his tears, not caring his family was seeing him like that. “ I.. Criarus said he wanted to take me to my chamber to spend t-time with me.. And he just touched me and -- “ 

That was just enough for Hedar to resume his beating seeing as Criarus was now healed from his damage inflicted by his two sons. As soon as Criarus rose, as soon as he was back on the ground. He groaned, and grabbed Hedar’s head, smashing it in the ground.

Hedar snarled, squirming like a rabid dog, managing to get free and punched Criarus right in the chest. Criarus yelled in pain, kicking his son’s legs making Hedar lose his balance. They were at each other’s throats like animals in fighting rings, eager to see blood, to hurt each other. 

Finally when the gods saw blood drip from Criarus’s chest, they gasped and Nyrasil and Idon ran to restrain Hedar and Criarus, to stop the vicious gods from mauling each other. 

Aris had buried himself into Idan’s chest due to fear, trembling like a leaf. Idan rubbed his back and whispered words of comfort. What was going to happen now? 

“ We hold law high. '' Yone spoke, her head raised, and Hedar and Criarus stopped trying to reach each other’s throats. “ Law states that a parent preying on their children is a capital punishment. Although we cannot kill our king, we can punish him. For now, please go to your chambers, sleep, we will discuss in the morning. “ 

The other gods nodded, each retreating back to their homes. It was clear Yone was a true Queen, not just in name. Nyrasil and Idon took Criarus to his chambers, the king giving Aris a sneer, but he looked ahead when Idan glared at him. 

Aris remembered how when Criarus foolishly declared war on the first gods, Idan smashed his head in a wall. It was no surprise the king god gained a fear for Idan. A fear Aris was glad for now.

Yone turned to Idan and Aris who rose in the meantime. “ I’m so sorry for not being here Aris. I should have stopped him, I should have - “

“ No. You did all you could.. “ Aris trailed off, voice hoarse from screaming and crying. Idan remained with his hands wrapped around his lover, leaning every so often to bury his nose just slightly into Aris’s curls. 

Yone blinked back tears and nodded. “ Please, remain here for tonight. I can give you a chamber, for the both of you. “ She added, looking from Aris to Idan. 

Yone knew. She must have figured it out when she saw Idan embrace Aris, or when Aris leaned into his touch, or when Idan couldn’t help but touch his cheek lovingly. 

“ Thank you, Yone. We will take up your offer. If it’s alright with Aris. “ Yone seemed a bit taken back by being thanked by a god with incredible power, a god that could waltz in any time, dethrone her husband, and take complete control. 

Aris nodded. Yone smiled and lead the couple further from the hall where Criarus attempted to rape Aris, passing several beautiful doors. Finally, Yone stopped in front of a door made out of mahogany wood and silver. She gently pushed the doors, and allowed the two gods to enter.

“ I shall awake you in the morning. Rest well. “ She shot a sad smile towards Aris and left quickly, her footsteps barely heard by Aris as he and Idan walked further in the room.

It was simple enough, with a king-sized bed, some windows, a dresser, a nightstand, nothing too extravagant. This signaled it was merely a guest room, and one not occupied often judging by how tidy and untouched it was.

As soon as Idan closed the door, Aris broke into another round of sobs, cradling his body. The hairs on Idan’s arm stood up, and he frantically ran to comfort Aris.

“ Shh, it’s alright. You are safe now. You are safe with me. “ Idan whispered, cradling his face as if Aris was the most precious being the universe ever breathed life into. And to Idan he was. Idan cradled him to his chest, letting Aris sob and calm down.

“ What’s going to happen tomorrow? “ Aris asked. Idan looked at a window that only let the natural glow of the moon illuminate them both. 

“ A trial most likely. Your family will bring charges against Criarus. I will be here with you through all of it, if you allow me to. “ 

Aris nodded, and Idan smiled warmly. “ I missed you so much. “ He rubbed his cheeks and stopped. “ Who scratched you? Was it Criarus? “ 

Aris remembered Phona and what she did. “ It was mother. “ 

If Idan was angered, he did not let it show. He must have been. That was the emotion at the front, but he managed to contain it. He did not want to frighten Aris further. Criarus had done enough of it. 

“ Idan.. “ Idan responded with a quick ‘hmm’. “ Can we sleep..? I’m just so tired and I want to get this over with. “ 

Idan nodded, a bit too eagerly. “ Of course, Aris. Anything for you. “ He brushed lightly his cheek then guided Aris to the king-sized bed. Aris settled in comfortably, head rested on fluffy pillows, a soft blanket covering his body.

Aris waited for Idan to lay beside him, but the god was walking to the foot of the bed, and was prepared to lay down and sleep like a dog.

“ What are you doing? “ Aris raised his head, and Idan turned to him, wearing confusion like a second face. 

“ Going to sleep? “ 

Aris rolled his eyes. “ At the foot of the bed like a guard dog? Lay by me. “ as if to emphasize his point, he patted the empty side of the bed. Idan looked around, unsure, before he walked over and laid in one motion next to Aris.

The only visible light was the moon and the brightly shining stars that paled in comparison to their parent. 

Aris stood on his side, watching Idan with half-closed eyes. Idan turned to his side, so they were now face to face and smiled warmly.

“ Will you really be here tomorrow? “ Aris’s soft voice was the only sound in that room, if you didn’t count their breathing. 

Idan raised an eyebrow, and reached out his calloused and rough hand, lightly touching Aris’s cheek. “ Yes, Aris. I will be here tomorrow, and the day after, and the month after, and the century after, if you only allow me. “

And they lay there, Aris leaning into his touch and sighing content when their bodies found each other and embraced. All worries, all strife, all bad things left Aris’s body and floated somewhere over the horizon, where no one would know them. 

After millennia of suffering, wars, crying, anger, Idan was happy, his lover in his arms, his head nestled in his lover’s curls, his legs intertwined with his lovers in a peaceful slumber.


	11. Chapter 10: " From what I've seen so far / The good ones always seem to break "

The bright sunlight hit Aris and Idan’s face like a slap. They had fallen asleep embracing each other, and now woke up with Idan on his back, and Aris nestled onto his chest, the older god holding his lover tightly. 

Aris opened his eyes and looked to his side, only to be met with the shining face of Yone. And his first instinct was to scream for a second.

Yone backed away slightly and Idan opened his eyes frantically, the first thing he looked at being Aris. 

“ What’s wrong, my flower? “ Idan asked worriedly, looking around Aris’s body and around the room for any signs of danger. When his eyes registered on Yone, he visibly calmed down.

Yone was smiling like she did yesterday, her dark hair neatly tied in a braid down her back with narcissus flowers tied into it, her green eyes soft and inviting, her long ankle-length green dress moving as she walked.

“ Good morning, Aris, Idan. Have you slept well? “ 

Aris raised to sit up and nodded. “ Thank you for the room, Yone. “ 

Yone nodded, and balanced on her toes as she looked for something to say. “ Oh well, dress and come to the throne room for the trial. Best of luck to you, Aris. “

And she was gone, as if she was never in the room. Aris yawned and stretched his tan limbs, watching as Idan flexed his back and arm muscles. He blushed a little, but it wasn’t as easily seen and Aris thanked the Balance for his sun-blessed skin. 

They were on the other side of the room, giving each other privacy. Aris slipped off his robe, staring at it with furrowed eyebrows. He remembered how Criarus fiddled with the robe, how the material clung to his body when he was pushed down and Aris shivered, throwing the robe aside. 

Going through the dresser, there were only 2 robes and Aris wondered if Yone brought them in the room this morning. The smaller one was soft and a peach-color. It was light enough, and Aris felt free when moving his arms and legs. 

“ Idan, you can get change -- “ 

Idan stood in the middle of the room, folding his dark robe. And he was stark naked. His body was built by centuries of living, of war, of bloodshed. Aris could say Idan looked like he could take Hedar on and make the war god cry in pain. 

Not even mentioning his lower body. Aris felt heat rush to his face and to the tip of his ears. Idan raised an eyebrow, then looked down at himself, as if just realizing he was naked. Then, like a fox, he smirked.

“ What? Like the view, sweetheart? “ 

Aris’s eyes got wide and his mouth dropped. Was Idan flirting? He was. He was teasing him. Aris’s nose scrunched up. He grabbed the bigger robe and grinned to himself, full of some sort of unknown mischief. 

He waltzed over to Idan and handed it to him. “ I do, but I would like it better if I could touch it. “

And he walked out of the room, leaving a flustered Idan fumbling with the brand new robe. Aris giggled and walked the halls, the reality of an actual trial happening sinking in.

He was afraid. Like how he felt last night. He knew where the throne room was. He participated in the feast, and he finally saw how the Champions celebrated. His mother never celebrated anything. She didn’t want the other gods bringing in any news to Aris.

“ Aris! Over here! “ Standing just outside the throne room were Hedar, Taena, Ulena, and Idon, all siblings of Aris. Aris walked over to them, a little bit wary. He knew Hedar and Taena, but he was a stranger to Ulena and Idon. 

The first thing Aris did was turn to Ulena. “ Thank you. Thank you so much for bringing Idan to the Palace. “ 

Ulena blinked a couple of times, cocking her head. She smiled. “ It was just the right thing to do. I knew Criarus is a bastard, and he might try something. “ 

Idon shuffled past Ulena and looked intensely at Aris. His glare could extinguish even the sun, and Aris felt himself become smaller and smaller. 

Finally, Idon smirked coyly. “ I like him. I like you, Aris. You seem cool, kind, and snatched a first born God. “ 

Taena lightly hit her brother while Hedar full on punched his shoulder, making Idon lose balance for a second. 

Their little interactions reminded Aris of Utala and Uros. Oh Balance, how were they? Were they okay? Aris missed them and the friendship they formed over the course of a few days. Maybe after the trial, Aris could visit them.

Footsteps were heard coming towards them. Which was considered unusual, seeing as they were the only gods not in the throne room and the servants have been sent home. They were not coming from the direction of where Aris and Idan slept.

“ And what are you all doing huddled outside? “ Aris’s eyes got wide and his mouth formed into a huge smile. Walking towards them were Kennai and Truna, both as beautiful and alluring as Aris met them in the garden. But they came with a third person.

Tall, but not quite like Idan or Hedar, with healthy looking olive-skin, pale golden eyes with thick eyelashes. Their hair was long and golden fading into the color of snow, with a few braids in the front and on the side of their head. Just looking at them, their robes, you couldn’t tell if they were male or female, or neither. 

“ Who is that? “ Taena whispered, but the first born gods had keen ears and Truna smiled, pointing to her friend.

“ This is Sudna, the dual deity of life and death. '' Sudna was one of the only dual deities, a child of Phanes, and a being of all genders into one body. They could change their gender at will, sometimes opting for a feminine figure, sometimes a masculine, sometimes a mix and sometimes neither. 

“ By the Balance. Forgive me for asking, but what is Sudna doing here? '' Hedar asked, crossing his arms, eyes darting from Sudna to Kennai to Truna. 

“ I am here to observe the trial and give the verdict as a deity of justice and law. “ Sudna’s voice was a mix of feminine and masculine, accent thick and rough, but somehow pleasant to the ear. They turned to Aris. “ Hello, Aris. It’s my pleasure to meet you finally. “ 

Aris lowered his head in embarrassment, muttering a quick ‘it’s my pleasure’. He became the talk of the first born gods in almost a month. He was never the center of attention. 

Sudna raised an eyebrow. “ Aye, let me heal this for ye. '' And they walked forward, touching his cheek. A warm feeling emitted from their palm, making Aris feel the warmth on the inside. In the blink of an eye, the scar Phona gave him was gone, as if it never happened. 

Sudna averted their eyes, and Aris thanked them. “ Let’s go in before Criarus throws a tantrum.“

“ Then I will put him in time-out. “ Idan could be described in one word. Elegant. From how he walked, to his face, to his voice, he radiated gracefulness. And now he radiated pure anger. 

“ Idan. '' Sudna grinned. “ My old friend. I heard ye got yerself a lover. “ 

Idan smiled and turned to Aris, a small smile playing on the beautiful god’s face. Truna giggled, remembering the conversation she and Aris had the first time they met in Idan’s garden. It seemed like Aris seriously considered her question. And she was so happy he did. 

“ Sudna. I haven’t seen you since the Solstice. I hoped we would see each other under better circumstances. “ 

Sudna placed their hands on their hips and looked at the closed door. “ Let’s go. If Criarus acts up, you can be the first to smash his skull in. Like old times. “ 

Idan chuckled and walked first in the throne room, followed by the other gods akin to ducklings following their mother dutifully. The throne room was silent, the gods settled into their respective thrones. 

Except for Criarus, who stood in the middle of the room, his stance prideful and strong, but his hands were shackled with silver restrains. He was a contradiction in that moment; restrained, yet puffing his chest forward like a proud peacock showing off his feathers. 

Aris’s siblings went to their respective thrones, resembling Kings and Queens as they crossed their legs, stood straight, rested their chins in their palms. Kennai and Truna followed Sudna to Criarus’s throne. 

Aris heard one of his former servants laugh bitterly and talk about how Criarus shed blood of his enemies to keep the throne shining so brightly. And the longer he looked at it, Aris could say the servant was right. 

Sudna walked over to the throne and sat on it, earning a low growl from Criarus. The king god was arrogant and prideful. He would kill anyone that touched his throne. Except if that someone was at the top of the food chain for the gods. 

“ Let us begin. “ Sudna announced. Kennai and Truna stood on either side of the throne, while Idan and Aris walked over to Yone. 

“ What charges are being brought to Criarus, son of Isavoaleth, the primordial goddess of the sky and Frouv, the primordial god of the sea, husband of Yone, the Queen Goddess of the Champions? “ 

Yone stood up, taking a deep breath and staring her husband right in the eyes. “ The Champions bring the charge of attempted rape, molestation, incest between parent and child, and abuse of power towards the King of the Gods, Criarus. “ 

Sudna nodded, eyes drifting to Aris for a second. Aris registered one emotion in those pale eyes.  _ Sadness.  _

“ Do you have proof for these claims? “ Everyone looked at each other, lips pursued. Yone nodded, gesturing her chin to Hedar and Aris. 

Hedar walked from his dark throne, glaring at Criarus for a moment, before bowing to Sudna. 

“ Last night, after the feast of a victory gained by me, Criarus took Aris to a hall and molested him, attempting to rape him. When I and the rest of the gods arrived, Criarus lay wounded, Aris crying and there were obvious signs of manhandling on my brother. “ 

Sudna nodded, taking it in, thinking about it. Then they turned to Aris. “ Tell us what happened in detail, Aris. “

Aris swallowed and Idan squeezed his hand, giving his assurance to his lover. Aris nodded and stood forward, all eyes registering on him. Hedar’s, Kennai’s and more held pride and some strange happiness to see Aris, Nyrasil’s, Mesyn held a strange emotion, uncertainty. And Criarus’s was a mix of lust and hate. 

“ When Criarus ended the feast, he took me down the hall to take me to my chamber. He said he wanted to spend time with me. I felt uneasy and reconsidered it, but he pushed me against the wall and touched my skin, saying my mother had soft skin and she screamed so much.. “ He sighed, feeling his hands shake at the memory. “ I begged him to stop, to let me go. He tried to kiss me, but I turned my head away and he instead bit me. “ 

“ I tried to kick him, to push him away, but he pushed me to the ground and hoisted my robes up. “ Tears were now rolling down his face, burning his throat and eyes. Aris hated crying. He hated the tears, the runny nose, the burning in your throat. “ He tried to undo his own robes, and.. And I got so scared I just touched his chest and it sent him flying. “ 

Aris stepped back, next to Idan. His lover carefully wiped away his tears, as Yone whispered words of comfort. Aris never thought a month ago that he would be here, loved by someone more than his mother. 

“ Criarus, do you have anything at all to say for yourself? “ 

Silence fell while Criarus raised his eyes to meet Sudna’s. The King god was able to intimidate almost everyone with his eyes. His glare was used to make his subjects, his wife, his own children and siblings cower and submit to his requests. But Sudna was not phased. 

“ I saw something I liked, and tried to take it. “ His response was curt, short, and it ignited rage in several occupants of the room. Most importantly, Idan, Yone, Aris’s siblings. If you looked at the Gods’ eyes, you would see one mutual wish: The wish to tear Criarus apart, like they completely understood Hedar’s actions last night. 

Sudna nodded and stood up, brushing their skirt. “ I hereby declare that Criarus is guilty of all charges being brought against him, attempted rape, molestation, incest between parent and child, and abuse of power. Unfortunately, due to his status, we cannot dethrone Criarus. But we can do the second best thing. “ 

Sudna snapped their fingers and in place of the silver restrains, came golden chains. Criarus struggled against them, but the more he struggled, it didn’t work.

“ Those are power absorbing chains. They won’t kill you, oh no, but they will drain you of energy and power. Have fun spending the next century locked. In his place, Yone will rule over you. “ 

Sudna pointed to Yone who looked taken back, a hand on her chest. 

“ Show your Queen respect. “ 

And the Champions bowed, Hedar kicking Criarus to the ground so it would at least look like he was bowing. 

“ But the trial is not over yet. “ At raised eyebrows and confusion, Truna clapped her hands and Criarus was gone, probably in one of the rooms in the Palace. In his place instead, stood a very beautiful golden-haired goddess with wide eyes.

_ Phona.  _ Aris’s mother. 

Phona blinked a couple of times, looking around her surroundings with wide, fearful eyes. 

“ What is going on? Why am I here?! “ Her arms hugged her body, and when her eyes fell on her son, she screamed. 

“ Aris! Baby! My son. “ She tried to take a step forward, but Sudna raised their hand. Phona knew better than to cross Sudna. She stood frozen, mouth wide open as her precious son being tainted by Idan. 

“ Phona, goddess of beauty and vegetation, daughter of Leusin, the god of rivers and Feritys, the goddess of flowers, mother of Aris, the god of youthful beauty, love, and fertility, former lover of Criarus. “ The introductions for each god were obligatory, even if everyone knew Phona.

“ 600 years ago, Criarus violently raped you, and from that violence sprang your only child, Aris. Now, Aris is a full grown god, one capable of making his own decisions. A friend told me that you forcefully took Aris from his lover. “ 

“ What?! “ Phona spat out, face red with anger, fists clenched. “ That brute is not his lover! He stole my son from me! He wanted to brutalize him! “ 

“ And how do you know that? “ 

Phona swallowed. “ A servant told me. A servant Aris is friends with. “ 

“ And you took the words of a servant over the words of your own son. '' Kennai spoke, hands crossed. This subject was rather personal to Kennai, as he saw himself as the Father of Humanity, the creator of humans and their friend. He considered every single human his children, and to hear a mother try to control her son, that didn’t sit right with him.

Phona narrowed her eyes. 

“ Instead of going on the words of servants, how about we ask Aris what he wants. “ Truna looked at Aris, who tried sinking into Idan, to escape the attention. 

After some whispered words of reassurance from both Yone and Idan, whispers that were met with glares by Phona, Aris stepped forward, looking his mother in the eyes. 

“ Idan did not kidnap nor hurt me, mother. I teleported from our realm to his, and he took me in for a month. In that month, we became lovers. We became friends. “ 

Phona opened and closed her mouth like a gaping fish. She had worked so hard, tried to keep her son as close to her as she could in 600 years, and it took one god to make Aris abandon her. 

“ You are my mother. You weren’t always the best, but you loved me and took care of me. Me living with Idan does not mean you lose me. “ 

“ It does. “ Phona choked out. “ I never wanted anyone to lay hands on you. You are my son, my baby. “ 

“ I still am. '' Aris argued, narrowing his eyes. Kennai whistled low, earning a slap on the arm from Sudna. 

When neither mother or child spoke again, Sudna sighed and turned their pale eyes to Aris. 

“ Aris. Do you wish to remain with your mother, or do you wish to go back to your mother’s realm? “ 

Such a simple question, that had such a quick and simple answer. Aris looked back at Idan who held a smile, that said whatever Aris picked, Idan would still love him deeply. This encouraged Aris.

“ Idan. I want to stay with Idan. “

Sudna nodded, and stood up. As if on command, all gods straighten, even Phona. It was instinct. 

“ Alright, trial set and done. Dismissed. Let me leave the home of squabbling bastards. “ Kennai crossed his arms, and Sudna pinned him with a burning glare. Kennai blinked innocently, but that didn’t stop Truna from reaching and slightly pushing him. 

Sudna sighed, but smiled. “ Like Kennai said, the trial is done. Criarus is punished, Aris is where he wants to be. Now, if you all will excuse me, I would like to never have to go through another trial like this. “ 

The Champions plus Phona nodded, bowing at the deity. With a clap of the hands, the Champions started to leave one by one, leaving only a few, such as Ulena, Taena, and Hedar. Phona also remained, staring at her son and his lover.

“ Thank you, Sudna. “ Aris bowed, but was stopped as Sudna rubbed his cheek much like a parent. 

“ Do not thank me for doing what’s called decency, child. I wish you all the happiness in the world with Idan. I know he will give it to you. “ They hugged Aris, then turned to Idan. “ You better. “

Idan nodded, then Sudna left, with Kennai and Truna trailing behind them. As they left, Ulena, Taena, and Hedar made their way towards the happy couple. 

“ Well, hello, almighty Lord of Darkness. “ Hedar said, making Idan raise an eyebrow. “ I see you have lain eyes and hands on my little brother. I recognize we are not on the same team, you a first-born god, me a war god, whatever. But I am also an older brother, and I want to warn you that if you hurt him, I will smash your head in. “

Taena let out a sound of disbelief and hit her brother on the arm. Idan just smiled, not at all offended. 

“ I would never hurt Aris, but thank you for being such a good big brother. “ 

Hedar smirked, glancing at Aris. “ I like him. For now. “ 

Aris rolled his eyes, as Taena grabbed her little brother’s hands into her own.

“ I’m so happy for you. I just hoped we would meet your lover under better circumstances. “ She sighed, shaking her head quickly and bringing Aris into a hug, as if to shield him from the memories of Criarus. She then turned to Idan.

“ Thank you for loving my little brother. I have barely met you, but you have shown care and love for Aris. That’s all I want for my brother. But be warned, as Hedar had said, I may be the goddess of marriage, but I am also a sister. If Aris even gives me the hint that you hurt him, I will destroy you in the worst way possible. “

Idan raised his hands, in surrender as he nodded. Aris stared at the darkened eyes of Taena and realized that his sister could be the scariest goddess when she wanted. She stepped back, leaning over to Hedar who grinned and lightly pushed her, ruffling her hair.

Ulena laughed at their antics. “ I also would like to congratulate you two. May you have centuries of happiness and love. And we are serious. “

“ Extremely. “ Hedar crossed his arms, and Taena nodded her head. 

After several pushes, arm slapping, and ‘Hedar, shut up!’s, the three gods left, but Aris and Idan could not leave just yet.

A very saddened Phona was next to them. Her usually happy face was replaced by disappointment. Her golden hair was slightly disheveled. Aris swallowed in worry and Idan grabbed his hand in reassurance.

“ Congratulations. “ Phona’s words were not as genuine or as happy as Aris’s siblings had been. It was clear as the sky that she still held resentment towards Idan.

“ Mother, I.. Please. I love the both of you. You raised me, and yes, there were moments I wished you weren’t there, but I still love you. You took care of me, taught me love and hope, but.. Your hate for Criarus went too far. His children have done nothing to hurt me. If anything, they loved me and protected me from father. “

Aris remembered how Hedar was very quick to attack Criarus when he tried to hurt Aris, how Taena tried to shelter him from Criarus, how Ulena brought Idan to the rescue. 

Phona bit her lower lip. “ I don’t like them. “ She sighed. “ but I suppose I can try for you. “ 

Aris felt a smile grow on his face as he leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Phona. The goddess seemed a bit taken back but she hugged her son, blinking back tears. 

Idan watched the two and remembered how he used to hug his mother when he was young. Her arms were a safe haven, a shelter from the storm. Then she faded away and Idan never felt warm motherly touches again. 

“ Can we go home? “ Aris asked, snapping Idan out of his thoughts. Phona was further away from them, looking warily as Yone talked to her, words unheard by Aris and Idan. But whatever Yone said, made Phona relax. 

“ Let’s go home. “ 

  
  



End file.
